You’ve heard countless times that you need to narrow your niche and claim the one person you’re here to help and the one problem you most want to solve.
You know that once you drill down enough, your message and mission will become infinitely clearer, you’ll be more able to find those target clients, and you’ll easily create products and services that your people are hungry to buy.
But every time you try to narrow it down, you get stuck, and you can’t figure out what’s holding you back. You might even be in full-on resistance mode!
Maybe you’re afraid of what people might think.
Maybe the niche that’s calling you has nothing to do with your degrees and certifications.
Maybe it’s “out there” compared to what your family thinks is “a good choice.”
Maybe you have so many passions that you just can’t choose!
Or maybe it’s something else.
Whatever’s coming up for you, you know that something is standing in your way, and you’re ready to bust through it.
Well, that’s exactly what you’re going to do today. You’ll crack through your niching block once and for all.
First, we’ll tackle the common niche-narrowing mistakes that hold most smart, well-intended business owners back.
Then, we’ll dive into the very simple solution to getting you unstuck and on track.
Mistake #1: You’re afraid of what other people will think
Raise your hand if you’ve ever stopped yourself from doing something because you were scared of getting judged.
(Me, too.)
You’re terrified that if you do what you really want to do, people will think you’re irrational or unqualified. They won’t get your vision, and they’ll constantly question how you plan to make money.
But please, don’t let that stop you!
You need to put yourself first on this one (especially if you’re a recovering people pleaser like me!). After all, it’s YOUR business, and you have to work in it everyday.
Mistake #2: Your dream business doesn’t match your skill set
Maybe you’ve invested a ton of money into your education or a specific training, and you feel like you’ll be flushing your investment right down the toilet if you go in a different direction.
It can be really hard to let go of that. I’ve seen so many clients try to justify pursuing a path they aren’t passionate about because of a certification or their degree.
If you need a permission slip to go after something outside your current skill set or training, here it is! You 100% do not have to continue down a path just because you have a degree, certification, or training, especially if it doesn’t light you up.
Mistake #3: You’re afraid the market is too saturated
When you look at the online business landscape, you see so many people already offering what you want to offer.
You wonder why anyone would hire you when they can hire the hundreds (or thousands!) of other people providing the same service.There’s a ton of competition, and you just don’t feel like you’ll measure up.
The good news is, all those other businesses are proof that the market can support you! It’s already proven!
Even better? You already know people want what you have to offer—you don’t have to convince them to try something completely new and different.
Mistake #4: You’re afraid the market can’t pay you
You started your own business because you wanted to bust through the glass ceiling and make a full-time income helping people.
Except you’re scared you won’t be able to make enough money doing what you really want to do. You think it’s safer to follow the money.
It’s true: You won’t make 6 figures overnight. But there is a proven way to scale your business—and it has nothing to do with starting in a lucrative field. It’s all about offering value, and you can do that in whatever niche you choose.
Mistake #5: You think you need to monetize all of your passions
Have you ever been complimented on something that comes naturally to you? Maybe you’re really good at organizing your inbox or have a keen eye for color. Maybe it’s something you consider more of a hobby, like baking cakes for friends.
Just because you’re good at something doesn’t mean you should turn it into a business!
Click to TweetJust because you’re good at something doesn’t mean you should make that your business!I love cooking and teaching my dog new tricks, but I didn’t build a business around them. Because the thought of taking my fun hobbies and monetizing them sucked the joy right out of them.
You need fun in your life! If the thought of making money with your hobby immediately makes it sound much less fun, don’t do it! Even if someone (yes, even if it was a loved one!) told you to do something you’re good at, you can absolutely ignore that advice and keep your hobby all to yourself.
Mistake #6: You don’t see HOW it will all unfold or happen
This one is the classic smart woman problem: You’re overthinking things and creating more stress and anxiety for yourself by trying to figure out the HOW before the what or the why.
You don’t need to have all the answers right now. In fact, that’s impossible!
What you need to do is figure out what you want to do, who you want to help, and why … regardless of HOW you’ll do it. For now.
How to confidently narrow your niche, no matter what
The underlying issue with all of these mistakes?
Fear. Fear. And more fear.
Yes, fear is a totally normal part of running your own business, but you don’t need to be afraid to make a choice about your niche!
Instead of letting fear decide what niche you should claim, here’s what I want you to do instead:
Ask yourself, if you knew with 100% certainty that you’d be successful, what would you do? Who would you help? What problem would you solve?
Forget what everyone else says or what the “right” answer is. Instead, go with the person and problem that truly lights you up, even if you’re not sure HOW you’ll make it work just yet.
This is really important because building a business is hard. To make it work, you’ll have to do a lot of new (and uncomfortable) things. So you need to be fired up about the work you’re doing and the clients you’re serving.
Click to TweetWant to build a business you love? You have to be fired up about the work you’re doing and the clients you’re serving.The only way I’ve seen clients successfully tap into and sustain that much-needed fire is to choose and commit to the thing that lights them up.
How do you know if you’ve landed on the right thing?
You’ll get this unique feeling that’s a mix of excitement and fear—and it’s totally normal.
It just means you’re finally on the right track to building a business you love.
Now, claim what you want in the comments below! And once you’ve got that fire, create an offer that serves the people you want to work with!
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